I did this around some young apple trees. It took about six months for the deer to get back to them. In one night they ate all the work I had done. It will only work if their feet get stuck in the fencing. It needs to stay a couple inches off the ground or they will walk right over it. Good luck, I wish I could just shoot 'em and eat 'em.
NN

I had a feeling that it might be too good to be true! I still think I'll give it a try.

Our new property is a narrow penninsula with 2 docks (one on the main lake and one directly across from it on the bay side). I'd been hoping to lay fencing across the penninsula from dock to dock and hoping that the deer wouldn't cross the fencing or climb up and over the docks or swim around them. Sounded like a great plan but I'm guessing that our mule deer haven't seen the same web site and won't know what they are supposed to do!

Sandy

I liked Nativenut's idea of raising the fence a couple of inches off the ground around a tender tree or plant, with the idea that if the flora gets eaten by the deer it's part of the experiment. As he says, if the deer's feet get caught up in the fence they won't like it. I saw a similar attempt where the gardener placed a raised circumference of smaller guage wire around some evergreens. I can't say exactly what happened because I wasn't there to see the deer, but the trees look fine to me now. There must have been a problem mowing, as the trees had weeds as high as they were, so that would be a consideration perhaps. It's two years later and the trees look healthy and bushy and obviously no more wire, cause the area is nicely mowed as well. I tried to envision having fencing on the ground between two docks and it sounded like it might be dangerous to younger children and might hinder your own enjoyment of the waterfront. Good luck to you. By the way, I laughed at the idea of just shooting and eating the deer, but I'm neither a good shot nor a good butcher. I buy my venison from the internet or hint around when I hear a neighbor is going hunting.

Yup ! I laid fence all around my apple trees. It kept them away for the summer. I also lay it close to my shade garden. I've found that they just will not cross it.Mix in some chicken wire too or loose pieces, if it's not old beat up fence mangle it up abit so they can't judge the spaces. An elelctric fence, with at least 2 wires will stop 'em !!